Benzschawels enjoy a senior moment

Scott Benzschawel can’t believe how quickly it went.

His son Beau has one football game left as starting right guard with the Wisconsin Badgers.

“It’s been five years, but it seems like only yesterday he was a little tight end with Grafton,” Scott said.

Beau isn’t so little anymore. Listed at 6-feet-6-inches tall and 315 pounds, he has been a standout stalwart on the Badgers’ offensive line the past few years, starting 49 straight games.

But his father — once a nose guard for the Badgers — could still wrap his arms around his oldest son for a big hug as the family got together on the field at Camp Randall for Senior Day Saturday.

“It was pretty emotional,” Scott said.

Every senior’s name was announced before the game, and each made his way past the red and white banners adorned with the Wisconsin “W” and through a path lined by marching band members to his family, bringing red roses to his mother Barcie.

She loved the experience.

“It’s something that I’ve seen other parents do these last four years and it was fun to do it ourselves,” she said.

Barcie, her two sisters and their husbands all attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

“It’s unbelievable because I grew up such a Badger fan, and to have this happen is unbelievably exciting for us,” she said.

Like her husband, she too noticed how her oldest son has quickly grown.

“You look at all the photos and he’s changed a lot since we’ve dropped him off. He’s like a man now,” she said.

Beau’s grandmother — Barcie’s mother Ellen Morgen — was fittingly among the family he greeted.

Morgen has had season tickets for decades. Her late husband John served as president of Madison’s National W Club, a nonprofit organization for letter winners. John earned his for rowing.

While she has attended countless games, Ellen had never been on the field. Until Saturday.

“This was perfect for her. She does so much for us,” Barcie said.

Beau’s younger brother and teammate Luke, who plays tight end for the Badgers, made it out of the locker room in time to join the family.

The youngest brother J.P., a rising football and basketball star at Grafton High, wore a Wisconsin jersey with No. 66 in honor of Beau.

Their older sister Abbey was there as well. She has her own football connection as she is engaged to Grafton’s coach Jim Norris, and the couple are living with Scott and Barcie until they find a house.

As fun and exciting as having two players in big-time college football, Scott said it does come with sacrifices. The precious few moments the family spent together on the field were the only time they were together for Thanksgiving. With another bowl game invite to come, Scott said Christmas will likely be spent traveling again.

While Saturday was Beau’s final game at home as a Badger — his 49th straight start — a career in his major of life sciences communication may be put on hold.

Beau has been invited to play in the Reese’s Senior Bowl on Jan. 26 in Mobile, Ala., after which he will head to California to train for the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Ind., from Feb. 26 through March 4.